The present invention relates generally to digital data on television signals, in particular, to inserting digital data on any portion of the video signal and providing remote and diagnostic functions.
The transmission of information using television signals is well known. Specifically, an analog video/television signal includes a portion known as the Vertical Blanking Interval (VBI). As such, the VBI is used to transmit closed captioning, video/tv guides, and other such information. Such information is often provided as a digital data stream. A VBI inserter inserts the digital data stream into the VBI to be incorporated and transmitted with the video signal.
The VBI, however, has a limited bandwidth in terms of time and space. In other words, there is a limit in the amount of data that can be inserted into the VBI. Likewise, there is also a limit on the amount of time available for a VBI inserter to properly insert data into the VBI. Therefore, optimal use and management of the VBI bandwidth is desirable when data is inserted on the VBI.
Furthermore, data insertion sites, i.e., locations or sites for inserting data into the VBI using a VBI inserter are often distributed across a wide geographical range. Hence, physical or direct contact with a VBI inserter is often impractical. Therefore, the ability to remotely control a VBI inserter, exchange data, and obtain status reports of the VBI inserter is also desired.
The present invention provides a VBI inserter configured to insert digital data into a video signal and to provide remote and diagnostic functions.
In accordance with one aspect of the invention, a VBI inserter includes a video interface receiving a video signal and memory storing digital data and a configuration file. The VBI inserter also includes a command controller configured to extract operation data from the configuration file and insert stored digital data on the received video signal based on the extracted operation data, the extracted operation data including a key word and indicating a line of the video signal in an active portion of the video signal.
In another aspect of the invention, a method of inserting digital data on a video signal using a VBI inserter includes receiving digital data and a video signal, storing received digital data in memory and parsing a configuration file to identify a first key word. The method further includes determining a line within the video signal based on the identified first key word and incorporating digital data on the determined line of the video signal.
Many of the attendant features of this invention will be more readily appreciated as the same becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed description considered in connection with the accompanying drawings.